With Buttons
Resources Button
Of The Month Button
Collector's
Club Taking Care
of Your
Buttons
215 East Bay Street
Charleston, South Carolina
29407
(843) 721-2825
leesbuttons.com
Beginning Bakelite
Bakelite
buttons can be tricky to identify, and since they require
special cleaning,
it's important to make sure they are Bakelite. There
are
simple tests
to help
you
identify them.
Original M1881 Helmet Infantry Side Buttons. Classic crossed rifles on disc. Brass wire fasteners soldered to back side
Beginning Appraisal
There are several options for the collector or hobbyist who is looking for a good source in appraising antique buttons.
You
might start the process of apprais-
ing antique buttons by doing a
little
preliminary research yourself. Go for a visit to your local
library
or bookstore and check out some
of the books or periodicals
they
have specific to antique buttons or appraising. Even
books dedicated
to defining and cataloguing antique buttons may
include rough
price guides which can give you a starting point for recognizing the
market
value of your antique buttons. Remember, though, that these
books and
guides are only as accurate as the year in which they were
published. You
should also remember that the value of your antique buttons is
dependent on their condition and rarity as well.
You may also find some good resources about appraising antique buttons online. If you can find the same or a similar item as yours listed on an auction site, it will give you an idea of what the market is willing to pay for your type of button.
Private appraisers may end up costing you a little money, but often times they possess a wealth of knowledge and expertise in specific areas and antique time periods, so appraising antique buttons through a profess- ional appraiser may yield you more accurate results. If you are able to sell your antique buttons for their full market value, the money you spent on a professional appraisal will end up being worth it.
Visiting
an antique show or button convention allows you to pool the
resources of your peers for appraising antique buttons on the
fly. You
may encounter people with more know- ledge and experience than yourself
to give
you an idea of the value of your buttons. But beware of those
who
may try
to take advantage of your ignorance and inexperience by
claiming a
low value to
try to buy your items for themselves.
However you choose to approach appraising antique buttons, if you’re serious about selling, it is always good to get a second opinion to en- sure the accuracy of your appraisal.